At Oslo city hall Labour Party youth leader Eskil Pedersen, a survivor of the attack, spoke about the youth of Utøya, what they fought for and believed in and the strength of standing together. According to NRK, Pedersen said that together they would make Norway and the world a better place. They stood together for justice, for solidarity, for equality and against racism. “He tried to take this from us, but we have never been more together than we are today… He took some of our most beautiful roses, but he can not stop the spring,” ended Pedersen.

During a memorial mass at Oslo Cathedral Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg said, “Amidst all this tragedy, I am proud to live in a country that has managed to hold its head up high at a critical time. I have been impressed by the dignity, compassion and resolve I have met. We are a small country, but a proud people. We are still shocked by what has happened, but we will never give up our values. Our response is more democracy, more openness, and more humanity. But never naivete.”

The Crown Prince, the Lutheran Bishop of Oslo, the Mayor of Oslo, two government ministers, and many others packed a memorial service at the World Islamic Mission, a mosque directly across the street from the central Oslo jail where the self-confessed mass murderer is being held. The Muslim population of Norway is estimated at 120-170 thousand. According to NRK those attending were welcomed by Imam Najeeb Naz saying, “Today, a whole people, across all the lines of a modern society –geography, generation, politics, religion — come together. We do not have easy answers, but we can draw strength from one another.”

Three survivors of the Utøya shootings participated in a web-based public Q&A hosted by the VG newspaper. One of the text questions asked, “What do you think should be done with Anders (the gunman)?” Daniel Braathen (above right) answered, “I do not support him being put to death, or tortured, or something; only that he will be put away for always. I have little desire to talk with him although he almost took my life.” All three indicated a desire to return to Utøya. Gard Strand (above left) texted, “I feel it is important to get out to the island again to overcome fear.” The Norwegian Labour Party has insisted that Utoya will be reopened as a site for youth conferences.

Another survivor of the mass murder on Utøya spoke at the funeral of her mother, shot while her daughter was elsewhere on the island. According to the VG newspaper, Helene Bosei Olsen said, “In this situation it is very easy to feel hatred for the terrorist who in those two long hours destroyed so many lives. My wish is that instead of hating the terrorist, I want you to show love to those you love, and provide warmth and good thoughts to the families of those who died.”

The Norwegian government announced the establishment of an independent commission to investigate all facets of July 22. Every party represented in the Norwegian parliament was present for the announcement, including the conservative and generally anti-immigrantProgress Party. With 41 of 169 seats in the current parliament the Progress Party or FrP is the second-largest behind the Labour Party’s 64 seats.

Siv Jensen, head of the Progress Party, said, “The Progress Party is embarrassed, disgusted and truly sad that the accused terrorist was once a member of the party… His actions and beliefs are totally contrary to our policies, beliefs and value-system. The Progress Party is a classical liberal party, which cherishes democracy and humanitarian values. We strongly oppose all messages and acts of hatred, violence, bigotry and close-mindedness. The terrorist attacks were not only directed against the government and the Labour Party, but against Norwegian core values and democracy. All political parties together agree that such terrible crimes must be met with even more democracy and openness.” (See related NYT story: Shift in Europe seen in debate on immigrants)

Norwegian private donations for Somali hunger and drought relief have soared over the last week. The Norwegian Red Cross started a fundraising campaign on July 15. By July 22 only 100,000 krone ($18,500) had been collected. Between the blasts on Friday and the end of the day on Saturday 1 million krone had been collected. An additional 2 million krone has been donated in the days since.

While Anders Behring Breivik has confessed to the bombing and shooting, he has entered a legal plea of not guilty. The Norwegian Attorney-General does not expect the actual trial to begin until early 2012.

As I write this at 0730 Eastern Time on Friday, many memorials are underway in Norway. The crowds are stupendous for such a small nation. In each one there is a recurring refrain of coming together in sorrow and working together in hope. Sorrow grounds us. Hope inspires us. Rooted in sorrow and reaching in hope can be a very productive place.

Earlier this week the Prime Minister encouraged his neighbors, “I have a simple request to make of you. Get involved. Care. Join an organisation. Take part in debates. Use your vote. Free elections are the jewel in the crown of democracy. By taking part, you are saying a resounding yes to democracy.”

Thanks Phil! And I do understand that there were other options open to the USA after 9/11/01! Let’s see how analysis of the USA efforts in the first decade after 9/11/01 document the successes or failures of our (USA) choices!

Last Friday the bomb exploded at 3:26 in the afternoon. This Friday the Prime Minister of Norway chose to be in the nation’s largest mosque at 3:26 in the afternoon. He was joined by the Lutheran Bishop of Oslo.

Among the 68 young people killed on Utoya were two Muslims: Bano Rashid from Nesodden and Ismail Haji Ahmed from Hamar.

“Bano is Norwegian. Ismail is Norwegian. I am Norwegian. We are Norway,” Prime Minister Stoltenberg insisted.

Bishop Ole Christian Kvarme offered, “Now we are together and we clasp each others hands. This afternoon in shared vulnerability we are together. Over this whole week, with flowers and candles we came together in shared weakness. The more we learn about the horror that has happened our sorrow deepens. But fear not, we are together.”

Our response is more democracy, more openness, and more humanity. But never naiveté.”

Great words and qualified too!

Norway’s horror is being met with determined resilience and there are lessons to be learned.

My favorite part of the story is the prominence of Imam Najeeb Naz.

IMHO, the Muslim community missed an opportunity to engage America and America lost an opportunity to engage the Muslim community in the aftermath of 9/11. So far the American homeland security narrative lacks other than a nominal community engagement stratagem.

Just the same the Oslo case is distinct from the 9/11 attacks in that the attacker (so far) spoke for a personal and deluded (and likely psychotic) individual with limited capabilities and not a potential WMD threat.

The culture of the USA and its hundreds of thousands of lawyers tends to legalize the policy debate.
We still have no real sense of the Judiciary reactions to the policy changes mandated through statute and administrative action since 9/11/01. Perhaps we (US) will have more insights by the end of the decade.

Congress has worked together to obtain “resilience” after the WTC attacks to “bounce back” to return to “normal” conditions or better than before.

Yes, the 9/11 Victims Compensation Fund is re-opened and the 9/11 Health Act 2010 was passed through Congress, after failing several times, and signed by the President late in Dec 2010. However, only the Government will benefit as they worked together to exclude “cancer” and not include “cancer” on the list of WTC connected diseases for death/illness compensation.

Therefore, a WTC responder widow or surviving responder cannot experience “resilience” since their life has changed forever. The death of a WTC responder loved one or a WTC responder disabled from illness will not “bounce back” to return to “normal” as before 9/11/2001. To summarize only Government can experience the return to normal bounce back effect of resilience.

The Federal Homeland Security Grants offer guidelines working together to submit an acceptable grant guaranteed resilience – and loss of life is price-less.